Monday, March 8, 2010

On the Detroit school system

Militant socialists were out in full force Thursday, March 4th, for a “Day of Action to Defend Public Education.” The nationwide event was organized by fringe, left-wing groups like Michigan’s “By Any Means Necessary,” Ohio-organized “Community Organizing Center for Mother Earth,” Los Angeles-based “County Peace and Freedom Party,” the “League for the Revolutionary Party” of New York, and North Carolina’s “Destroy Industry.”

In Detroit, a chap representing the Che Guevara-loving, Mumia Abu-Jamal-supporting “FIST Youth” educated a crowd of about two dozen about the virtues of socialism. He also lectured on the Soviet Union, its roots and the glory days when the “people’s council” made all of the important decisions.

As I understand it from watching the video below, this guy in Detroit has a right to force you to pay for his education. He has a right to force you to hire the employees that he chooses, not that you choose. Oh, and he wants you to pick up the tab for his groceries too.

If only the Hope'n'Change gang would lay it out there so honestly.What kind of education system produces a guy who vehemently defends a Soviet regime that made the Nazis look like amateurs? Well, Detroit's.

It gets worse.

Here are a few sample mass emailings sent out by the Detroit school board president, brought to us by The Detroit News:

Do DPS control the Foundation or outside group? If an outside group control the foundation, then what is DPS Board row with selection of is director? Our we mixing DPS and None DPS row's, and who is the watch dog?

Here's another gem:

If you saw Sunday's Free Press that shown Robert Bobb the emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools, move Mark Twain to Boynton which have three times the number seats then students and was one of the reason's he gave for closing school to many empty seats.

What? Lord have mercy, what a mess. I'll admit it. I'm capable of posting a rant without running it through spell check. I'm still puzzled by lie, lay, laid, and lain. I believe the only good infinitive is a split infinitive. But "Our we mixing DPS and None DPS row's, and who is the watch dog?" One other thing....I'm not in charge of educating 90,000 kids.

Here's more from the Detroit News:

"I'm a horrible writer. I know that," says Mathis, 56, a lifelong resident of southwest Detroit. His difficulties with language were spotted as early as fourth grade, when he was placed in special education classes. His college degree was held up for more than a decade because he repeatedly failed an English proficiency exam then required for graduation at Wayne State University.

In another city, these revelations might be grounds for disqualification. But Mathis is liked and defended by many of his peers, who cite his collegiality, lack of defensiveness and leadership as more important than his writing skills. Even Winfrey, his defeated rival for the presidency, declined to criticize his qualifications.

But the story of Mathis speaks directly to Detroit's educational conundrum, as officials try to raise standards and the proficiency of its students.

Is Mathis a success story? A man who beat the odds to win political success and career opportunities on the strength of his personality and judgment? Or is he an example of the system's worst failings -- a disinterested student who always found ways to graduate, even when he didn't meet the requirements -- and likely to perpetuate lax academic standards if the board wins its court battle with Bobb over control?

This is why the citizens of Detroit need school vouchers for their kids. Inmates are running the only asylum, and the kids need a choice. What kind of parent would dump children into that mess?

I have two questions for the residents of Detroit, Michigan, the largest major city (according to The Detroit News) with the worst-performing school district....